Accessible Cell Phones for the Blind and Low Vision

The purpose of this page is to provide a brief overview of the various
solutions available for blind and low vision cell phone users.
In general this site will stick to providing a general rather than detailed
overview without much opinion offered, leaving it up to the person who is
interested to pursue further research on their own. When
opinions are given, they are just that, opinions. I define a
cell phone in the most broadest terms, something that can provide voice
communications in a small portable package. I exclude laptops
from this discussion. I also present multiple accessible cell phone
solutions for the blind or low vision user rather than get hung up on what
"accessible" means as there is no single product that can meet every
blind and low vision user's requirements and budget.

Apple iPhone with VoiceOver screen reader

Apple put their VoiceOver screen reader on the Apple iPhone 3GS. Voice
Over was first seen on Apple Mac computers so there is a level of
familiarity with it. What is so remarkable about this feature is that
the screen reader comes at no additional charge and is intended to allow a
blind user to user the phone just as any other user would. First a
review of how other current third party screen reader programs interact with
the touch screen is probably in order. Current third party screen
reader programs for smartphones such as Code Factory Mobile Speaks do not
attempt to have the user control the phone directly through the touch screen
as a sighted user would. For example, Code Factory Mobile Speaks
breaks the touch screen into 4 quadrants, in essence the screen becomes 4
virtual keys. Touching the screen at certain points causes the phone
to perform other actions associated with the respective virtual key.
How you touch the screen quadrant (long tap, short tap, slide tap, etc.)
also causes certain functions to also occur. Unlike a sighted user,
the blind user would not actually touch the battery indicator on the screen
to obtain the phone's battery status. Instead, the blind user would
use hotkeys on the keyboard to get that information. Apples claims on
the iPhone accessibility page that the user won't need to memorize hundreds
of keyboard commands or navigate the smartphone by endlessly pressing tiny
arrow keys to find what you’re looking for. With VoiceOver, you touch
the screen to hear a description of the item under your finger. You
then use a gesture (double-tap, drag, or flick) to control the phone.
A different approach. Some users will appreciate the universal design
feature of VoiceOver but other blind users simply want to obtain information
on their phone in the fastest, most reliable method whether that is touching
the screen directly with the VoiceOver approach or using hotkeys with the
Mobile Speaks approach. To be fair, to get to anything quickly on the
iPhone, the user will in essence have to memorize what is on the iPhone
screens so that still seems to be memorization.

From Apple's iPhone accessibility page, VoiceOver works with iPhone’s
touchscreen directly. The user interacts directly with objects on the
screen. It claims this is "natural". Not so sure about that but
it is up to the user to experience and determine. For example,
touching the upper-left corner of the screen, the iPhone describes what’s in
the upper left corner of a web page, and as the user drags their finger
around the screen, they’ll learn what is on the screen nearby. With
VoiceOver, the user can hear descriptions of every item on the screen,
including status information such as battery level, Wi-Fi and cellular
network signal levels, the cellular network provider, and time of day.
Again, the intention is that the blind user has access to all of the same
phone features as the sighted user.

A great feature of VoiceOver is that it is included at no additional charge
on the Apple iPhone 3GS. There is no charge for licensing. You
can install and activate VoiceOver without sighted help using iTunes and a
computer (with screen reader).

One feature I don't understand about VoiceOver is that when an item on the
screen is selected, a black rectangle called the VoiceOver cursor appears
around the cursor. Apple's iPhone accessibility page claims the
VoiceOver cursor is displayed for the benefit of sighted users with whom you
may be sharing your phone. I don't understand why a sighted user would
need a black rectangular VoiceOver cursor. It seems like they would
just look at the screen.

A key feature of the Apple iPhone is the lack of a keyboard. This
missing feature is one that even sighted users debate. The tradeoff
with no keyboard is the sleek thin smartphone design. That comes at
the expense of a physical keyboard that a user can touch, feel, and navigate
around. When the user is typing text, VoiceOver echoes each character
on the keyboard as the user touches it, and again to confirm when the user
enters it. VoiceOver also has a feature that can speak each completed
word instead of and in addition to individual characters as they are typed.
The Apple iPhone features word prediction and will offer suggestions about
the correct spelling when a word is typed incorrectly.

VoiceOver works with all of the built-in software applications that come
installed on the iPhone such as iTunes, Mail, safari, etc. Apple is
working with third party software application developers to make their
applications VoiceOver compatible. I do not know how well developers
adhere to the VoiceOver standard.

Other accessible features of the Apple iPhone in addition to VoiceOver:

The Apple iPhone also comes with voice commands that allow the user to
make a call with their voice by speaking a contact's name or saying the
individual phone number digits. This would aid the user in quickly
making phone calls rather than using the virtual keyboard to dial
directly. The user can also play music loaded into their smartphone
by speaking the name of the song.

Distinctive ringtones can be assigned to contacts.

Magnification feature of the Apple iPhone:

Many iPhone applications such as web pages in Safari let you zoom in
and out. In addition Apple Zoom will let the user magnify the
entire screen of any application they are using. This allows the
user to see what is on the display.

Zoom can be enabled on iPhone 3GS using iTunes without sighted
assistance.

Zoom is a universal feature of the Apple iPhone. It will work
on all screens including the Home, Unlock, and Spotlight screens.
It should also work with applications you purchase from the Apple store.

Zoom allows the user to adjust the magnification between 100% and
500%.

The Apple iPhone 3GS offers higher contrast. The display can be
changed to White On Black. This reverse display feature works in all
applications including the Home, Unlock, and Spotlight screens. This
feature can also be used with Zoom and VoiceOver.

Screen Readers for blind and low vision cell phone users

There are currently 2 manufacturers of screen reading software for cell
phones: Code Factory and Nuance. Note: As of April 2009, Dolphin has
partnered with Nuance and no longer sells their software directly. The
cell phone screen readers work like
a computer screen reader such as JAWS but of course these are intended to be
installed and used on a cell phone. You need to make sure your
phone has a compatible operating system and that the software works with
your phone. You should always check with an authorized software dealer
prior to purchasing a cell phone. The manufacturers have this type of information available
on their websites. The cell phone screen reader gives what amounts to full access to all the
features and functions of the phone. Third party software made for the
cell phone may not be compatible with the screen reader. Again, you
should always first check with an authorized software dealer prior to
purchasing a cell phone if there is software that is important for you to
use. Software support is included in
the price of the software, there are no additional fees required but you
should look at the manufacturer site for specific details. Each
manufacturer has their own policy regarding replacing a license in case the
phone is lost, stolen, or breaks. The software usually comes with a
30-day trial period so you should definitely try before you buy.

Code Factory

Mobile Speaks

There are 3 versions
based on the operating system your phone has (Symbian, Windows Mobile
Smartphone, Windows Mobile Pocket PC). Code Factory’s Mobile Speak
line of screen readers consists of software
applications installed on a mobile phone or personal digital
assistant (PDA), which allow you to use the device even if you cannot read
the visual screen. AT&T is a distributor for Code Factory
software and offer their products at a steep discount in exchange for
signing up for a service plan.

Code Factory’s screen readers consist of software applications installed
on a mobile phone, which allow you to use the device even if you cannot read
the screen visually. Information displayed on the screen is rendered in
synthesized speech output generated using text-to-speech (TTS) technology
and routed through the device’s speaker or a headset. Screen contents can
also be presented in Braille if the mobile phone or PDA is connected to a
Braille device with a refreshable Braille display. Speech and Braille output
can be used at the same time, or independently, to perform many tasks on the
phone, including the following:

Make and receive calls.

Read and write SMS messages.

Manage your contacts and call lists.

Review the numbers entered in the dialer screen, and check the caller
ID on incoming calls.

Browse the Internet.

Send and receive emails.

Manage the calendar to schedule appointments and keep track of them
using alarms and reminders.

Oratio

Oratio is the first screen reader software solution that enables visually
impaired users to access and operate BlackBerry smartphones using state of
the art Text-To-Speech technology to convert the visual information
displayed on the BlackBerry smartphone screen into a intuitive speech
output. This enables its users to use BlackBerry smartphones to increase
their independence and productivity in today’s competitive world.
Oratio is a collaboration of Human Ware, Code Factory and Research in Motion
(RIM). Note: The name was changed from Orator to Oratio to avoid any
confusion with an existing product called Orator being manufactured by a
telecommunications company in the USA.

Oratio will first be released in North America in English, supporting the
BlackBerry Curve 8520 smartphone from AT&T, available through online
purchasing from www.oratio4bb.com for
$449 US for a single license. Support for additional BlackBerry smartphone
models and languages will be available in subsequent versions of Oratio.

Oratio was designed to support the core application found on the
BlackBerry smatrtphones allowing visually impaired users to:

Nuance

TALKS

Runs on Symbian™ operating
system
phones. Nuance TALKS converts the displayed text on the mobile handset into
highly intelligible speech. With Nuance TALKS, blind and low-vision
users can take advantage of most features, including contact directories,
caller ID, text messages, help files, access to the Nokia web browser, and
other screen content, available on their mobile phones. One advantage
is that TALKS uses Eloquence speech synthesizer, the same voice found on the
popular JAWS desktop screen reader, so there is a level of familiarity.
Sold in standard and premium editions.

Note: Verizon sells Nuance TALKS for
Windows Mobile at a steep discount for their HTC Ozone and Motorola Q9c
(this phone can no longer be ordered from Verizon). You will not find
information about this software at the Nuance website but must go to
Verizon directly.

The significantly revised audio handling for handsets running S60 3rd
Edition allows to use any TTS that is supported by TALKS during a call.
Looking up a contact or note, or entering new ones, manage multiple calls,
using call options to mute or hold calls, and much more can be done using
the familiar TTS voice of your choice.

Now, TALKS gives users more freedom, by offering SIM-based licensing.
When TALKS is registered to a SIM-card instead of being registered to a
phone/IMEI, the user can move that SIM card from one phone to the other, as
long as the SIM license is valid for the TALKS version installed to the new
handset.

TALKS now support reading and even editing word documents, for instance,
e-mail attachments, in QuickWord. QuickWord is a part of QuickOffice, and
its view-only version is pre-installed on most handsets, while the version
that allows to edit text is pre-installed on the Nokia E-Series handsets, or
can be purchased otherwise.

Nuance TALKS Premium edition features:

The Premium Edition of TALKS includes
Nuance Daisy2go, a DAISY
text/audio book player for S60 3rd Edition.

ZOOMS is now a free component when purchasing TALKS Premium Edition.
The user can decide which options (TALKS only, ZOOMS only, or both) should
be visible, via a View option in the settings.

The Object Viewer present in the Premium Edition of TALKS now allows
to easily configure speech output for a specific application. This way,
the user can improve speech output for applications that do not work well
with TALKS otherwise, or configure read-out according to his/her likings.

Additional Software for your screen reader
cell phone

Code Factory Mobile Color Recognizer and Light Detector

Mobile Color recognizer and light detector (MCR) is a
unique software developed to work with Mobile Speak for Symbian Phones.
MCR can be used to determine the color (or different colors) of an object by
taking a picture of it.

Code Factory Mobile Geo

Mobile Geo is Code Factory’s GPS navigation software for Windows
Mobile-based Smartphones, Pocket PC phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs).
Powered by GPS and mapping technology from the Sendero Group , a leading
provider of GPS products for the blind, Mobile Geo is the first solution
specifically designed to serve as a navigation aid for people with a visual
impairment which works with a wide range of mainstream mobile devices.

Code Factory Mobile Daisy Player

Mobile DAISY Player is an electronic book reader for Symbian-based and
Windows Mobile-powered mobile phones. It allows both sighted and
vision-impaired mobile users to take books in Digital Accessible Information
System (DAISY) format with them wherever they go.

Code Factory Games Pack

Available for Windows Mobile and Symbian
operating systems. The games pack contains
games that can be played with speech feedback

Wayfinder Access

When using Wayfinder Access navigation software, a wireless GPS receiver and
a Symbian enabled mobile phone we can bring you full freedom without the
expense of a bulky package. Integrated with Nuance and Code Factory
screen reader software.

Magnification Software
for blind and low vision cell phone users

There are currently 2 manufacturers of magnification software for cell
phones: Code Factory and Nuance. You need to make sure your phone has
a compatible operating system and that the software works with your phone.

Code Factory

Mobile Magnifier

There
are 3 versions based on the operating system your phone has (Symbian,
Windows Mobile Smartphone, Windows Mobile Pocket PC). Some versions
can be integrated with Code Factory's screen reader software if desired or
can be used as standalone software.
Code
Factory’s line of flexible and full-screen Mobile Magnifiers consists of
software applications installed on a mobile phone or personal digital
assistant (PDA), which enlarge screen contents for you to see them better,
employ different techniques to display high-definition text for you to read
more easily, and include navigation functions for you to effortlessly zoom
in on any area of interest on the screen.

Offers 7 different color schemes
for better visual contrast including normal colors, black and white, gray
scale for low and high resolutions, colored for low and high resolutions,
and inverted colors.

Nuance

Zooms

Runs only on Symbian™ operating
system
phones. Nuance ZOOMS magnifies the
content of mobile handset displays so that low-vision users can navigate
through the screen and make use of all the functionality their mobile phones
have to offer. Can be integrated with Nuance TALKS screen reader
software if desired or used in standalone mode.

Voice Controlled cell phones

Phones that come with built-in voice recognition software. The user
presses a dedicated button on the phone and then uses their voice to make
calls. These phones sometimes have a limited built-in screen reader so
that some pages or items are read to the user. They do not currently
offer anything close to full accessibility but the price is right for some
users.

6 Commands that Voice Command offers

Press the Voice Command button followed
by:

"Call someone"Just say "call someone" to phone a friend or family member that's
listed in your phone address book. When prompted, state the name of the
person you wish to call, and then your phone will retrieve the information.
From there, you can say:

"Yes" - Place phone call.

"Next" - Move to the next entry in the address book.

"Cancel" - Cancel this call and ask for another name.

"Exit" - Exit voice command.

"Dial number"
Use this command to dial a phone number. When prompted, state the phone
number you'd like to dial, then say:

"Yes" - Place phone call.

"Cancel" - Cancel the call to this number, and dial a different
number.

"Missed Calls"
This command gives you a list of phone calls you've missed. From there, you
can say:

"Yes" - Place phone call.

"Messages"
This command displays a list of text messages. From there, just say:

"Yes" - Place phone call.

"Time and date"
Just say "time and date," and your phone will display the current time and
date.

Menu Readout or Voice Guide

Devices have some menu read out capabilities. The device must be set to
“readout” in order for that functionality to work. Check your manual
for instructions on how to set our device for the readout mode.

Voice Guide- when the Voice Guide feature is turned on, the phone is
capable of converting much of the Menu and sub-menus from text-to-speech
(i.e., “Talking Menu”) and allowing the user to change settings

Text Message Readout- when the Voice Guide feature is activated, this
phone will read text messages.

Alpha and Numeric Key Echo- the phone will repeat back to the user
either an alpha or numeric key. This allows a blind/visually-impaired user
to enter Contact information and respond to text messages. For example,
press the “H” key and phone voices “H” or press “8” key and phone says
“Eight.”

Talking Caller ID and Missed Alerts

Voice dialing including Digit Dial and Name Dial w/ natural command
such as “Call Mom’s Mobile”

Phone Status including Time, Date, Battery Level, Service Coverage and
Signal Strength

Adjustable Text Size (Small, Medium, Large)

LG Lotus - Black (Sprint) - this phone, operating on Sprint’s CDMA
network, offers several features that make the phone appealing to many blind
and visually-impaired users:

Voice Guide- when the Voice Guide feature is turned on,
the phone is capable of converting much of the Menu and sub-menus from
text-to-speech (i.e., “Talking Menu”) and allowing the user to change
settings Text Message Readout- when the Voice Guide feature is activated,
this phone will read text messages.

Alpha and Numeric Key Echo- the phone will repeat back to the user
either an alpha or numeric key. This allows a blind/visually-impaired user
to enter Contact information and respond to text messages. For example,
press the “H” key and phone voices “H” or press “8” key and phone says
“Eight.”

The phone also provides “Talking Caller ID” and Missed Alerts

Voice dialing including Digit Dial and Name Dial w/ natural command
such as “Call Mom’s Mobile”

Phone Status including Time, Date, Battery Level, Service Coverage and
Signal Strength

Adjustable Text Size (Small, Medium, Large)

Motorola iDEN and PowerSource Phones

Sprint recommends the Motorola i580 and i880 for
customers who prefer the Nextel iDEN network. These phones have
high-quality speech output for a variety of phone functions including
Phone Status, Call History and Caller ID. These phones also have TTS for
limited portions of the phone Menu. The phones also include Key Echo, Name
Dial, and adjustable text and digit size.

Sprint PowerSource Phones- For customers with vision loss who enjoy
the WalkieTalkie feature in iDEN phones and the voice and data of CDMA
phones, Sprint recommends the ic502, ic602 and ic902 phones. These phones
incorporate portions of the TTS software found in the Motorola i580 and
i880.

AT&T

Specialty Cell Phones

KNFB Reading Technology

knfbReader Mobile: The knfbReader consists of
the kReader software with a TALKS or Mobile Speaks screen reader. The
Nokia phone with software which places the functionality of a reading
machine into a multifunction cell phone. The Mobile Reader products can be
activated and ready to use with the touch of a single button on the phone.
The Mobile Reader software is an OCR (Optical Character Recognition) TTS
(Text to Speech) Symbian application. The application enables the camera to
take pictures of printed material, convert the images into text files, and
read the text files aloud. The user
takes a photo of the print to be read and the character recognition software
in conjunction with high quality text-to-speech will read the contents of
the document aloud. At the same time, it can display the print on the
phone’s built-in screen and highlight each word as it is spoken.
The Mobile Reader is not intended to read the menus of the phone, for that
purpose the user should also purchase screen reader software.
Can be used with either Nuance or Code Factory screen reader. The
software is available on a
range of Nokia phones.
The intended user should check with an
authorized dealer prior
to purchasing a cell phone.

Reads most printed documents, from letters and memos to pages in a
book

Reads address labels and package information and instructions

Easily recognizes U.S. currency

Displays each sentence visually and highlights each word as it is read

Stores thousands of pages using easily obtainable flash memory

Transfers text files to and from computers or Braille note takers

Adjusts reading speed to suit user’s preference.

Reading modes for books, articles and labels; bills and memos

Synchronized text highlighting with output speech

Text navigation by sentence, word, character

Import/export text files

Automatic or manual saving of documents and image files

Automatic screen rotation for portrait and landscape reading

Save settings to and from memory card

Reads in several languages

Translates between languages

Owasys

22C: A screenless phone comes from Spain that
is designed specifically for the blind. The Owasys 22C is currently
only available for GSM networks like AT&T or T-Mobile in the U.S. An
older product but is the only cell phone specifically designed solely for
blind users.

Jitterbug

Special designed Samsung built specifically for elderly users with larger
buttons, larger screen font, and louder speaker. Sold only through
Great Call.